1
The Collection for the Lord’s People
Γνωρίζομεν δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δεδομένην ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Μακεδονίας,
Moreover, brethren, we do you to know of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 ὅτι ἐν πολλῇ δοκιμῇ θλίψεως ἡ περισσεία τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία αὐτῶν ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν·
How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3 ὅτι κατὰ δύναμιν, μαρτυρῶ, καὶ παρὰ δύναμιν, αὐθαίρετοι
In order to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4 μετὰ πολλῆς παρακλήσεως δεόμενοι ἡμῶν, τὴν χάριν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους
Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 καὶ οὐ καθὼς ἠλπίσαμεν ἀλλ´ / ἀλλὰ ἑαυτοὺς ἔδωκαν πρῶτον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ,
And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
6 εἰς τὸ παρακαλέσαι ἡμᾶς Τίτον ἵνα καθὼς προενήρξατο οὕτως καὶ ἐπιτελέσῃ εἰς ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν χάριν ταύτην·
Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
7 ἀλλ´ ὥσπερ ἐν παντὶ περισσεύετε, πίστει καὶ λόγῳ καὶ γνώσει καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι περισσεύητε.
Therefore, as all of you abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that all of you abound in this grace also.
8 Οὐ κατ´ ἐπιταγὴν λέγω, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρων σπουδῆς καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης γνήσιον δοκιμάζων·
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
9 γινώσκετε γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι δι´ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν πλούσιος ὤν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε.
For all of you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that all of you through his poverty might be rich.
10 καὶ γνώμην ἐν τούτῳ δίδωμι· τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν συμφέρει, οἵτινες οὐ μόνον τὸ ποιῆσαι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ θέλειν προενήρξασθε ἀπὸ πέρυσι·
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
11 νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τὸ ποιῆσαι ἐπιτελέσατε, ὅπως καθάπερ ἡ προθυμία τοῦ θέλειν οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἐπιτελέσαι ἐκ τοῦ ἔχειν.
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which all of you have.
12 εἰ γὰρ ἡ προθυμία πρόκειται, καθὸ ἐὰν ἔχῃ εὐπρόσδεκτος, οὐ καθὸ οὐκ ἔχει.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man has, and not according to that he has not.
13 οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλοις ἄνεσις, ὑμῖν θλίψις· ἀλλ´ ἐξ ἰσότητος
For I mean not that other men be eased, and all of you burdened:
14 ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ τὸ ὑμῶν περίσσευμα εἰς τὸ ἐκείνων ὑστέρημα, ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἐκείνων περίσσευμα γένηται εἰς τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα, ὅπως γένηται ἰσότης·
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their lack, that their abundance also may be a supply for your lack: that there may be equality:
15
Titus Sent to Receive the Collection
καθὼς γέγραπται Ὁ τὸ πολὺ οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν, καὶ ὁ τὸ ὀλίγον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν.
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
16 Χάρις δὲ τῷ θεῷ τῷ διδόντι / δόντι τὴν αὐτὴν σπουδὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Τίτου,
But thanks be to God, which put the same earn care into the heart of Titus for you.
17 ὅτι τὴν μὲν παράκλησιν ἐδέξατο, σπουδαιότερος δὲ ὑπάρχων αὐθαίρετος ἐξῆλθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.
18 συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ μετ´ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν
And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
19 οὐ μόνον δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν συνέκδημος ἡμῶν ἐν / σὺν τῇ χάριτι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ´ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν {αὐτοῦ} τοῦ κυρίου δόξαν καὶ προθυμίαν ἡμῶν
And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
20 στελλόμενοι τοῦτο μή τις ἡμᾶς μωμήσηται ἐν τῇ ἁδρότητι ταύτῃ τῇ διακονουμένῃ ὑφ´ ἡμῶν,
Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
21 προνοοῦμεν γὰρ καλὰ οὐ μόνον ἐνώπιον Κυρίου ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων.
Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν ὃν ἐδοκιμάσαμεν ἐν πολλοῖς πολλάκις σπουδαῖον ὄντα, νυνὶ δὲ πολὺ σπουδαιότερον πεποιθήσει πολλῇ τῇ εἰς ὑμᾶς.
And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.
23 εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου, κοινωνὸς ἐμὸς καὶ εἰς ὑμᾶς συνεργός· εἴτε ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν, ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν, δόξα Χριστοῦ.
Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-helper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
24 Τὴν οὖν ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν καὶ ἡμῶν καυχήσεως ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐνδείξασθε / ἐνδεικνύμενοι εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.
Wherefore show all of you to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.